Dd isn’t happy with A level choices

Piscesmumma1978 · 2024-11-30T10:39:31+00:00

She started college in September and hasn’t really been enjoying what she’s doing. She would rather do a T level in another subject. Has anyone got any experience on changing? I’m assuming she’ll need to wait until September but obviously she won’t be a school leaver then. I’ve told her to speak to her tutor but wondered if anyone had any experience of this. Thanks.

clary · 30/11/2024 11:17

My DD switched courses but that was after about a week. I have heard of DC switching up to the first half term so I think we are too late for this year.

What is she doing and what does she want to do? Can she unpick a bit what she doesn't like about it? She has funding for three years post 16 so could restart in Sept but I would want to be sure that it would work – so consider what has gone wrong this year, and be sure that the new qualification will not come up against the same issues.

AelinAG · 30/11/2024 12:34

It would need to be a September restart for her at this stage and the advice from PP is good. She should see if she can get anything from her years study - an AS level maybe.

Octavia64 · 30/11/2024 12:37

Too late to change for this year.

Funding for these qualifications is usually 3 years to allow for one restart.

Original poster

Piscesmumma1978 · 30/11/2024 18:52

Thanks all. That’s good to know. She’s doing 3 a levels in subjects she was interested in. I’m currently paying nearly £100 a month for her bus fare so guess I pull her out for now and she finds a job until September. Hopefully she can take the time to make sure she chooses well next time!

OP posts:

clary · 30/11/2024 21:19

Piscesmumma1978 · 30/11/2024 18:52

Thanks all. That’s good to know. She’s doing 3 a levels in subjects she was interested in. I’m currently paying nearly £100 a month for her bus fare so guess I pull her out for now and she finds a job until September. Hopefully she can take the time to make sure she chooses well next time!

OK but if she was interested in those subjects, what has changed? Is it bc the work is a big step up? Or are the topics or texts not interesting?

Surely if she liked history, French and Eng lit (or whatever) at GCSE and then doesn't like them at A level there must be a decent reason. It's not unusual to enjoy one A level less than you thought, but to dislike all three suggests a wider issue to me.

How can she be sure that she will enjoy the T level? T levels have had issues with high dropout rate and poor quality of teaching so she needs to be sure it will suit her – and her future plans as well.

SpiritAdder · 30/11/2024 21:23

I think she should stick with the A levels. If she wants to take a T level during a gap year, then do it then. I wouldn’t pull her out until September! She will forget so much of her education and besides it’s against the law to not be in some kind of education or training when under 18.

SpiritAdder · 30/11/2024 21:24

AelinAG · 30/11/2024 12:34

It would need to be a September restart for her at this stage and the advice from PP is good. She should see if she can get anything from her years study - an AS level maybe.

They don’t do AS any more.

Original poster

Piscesmumma1978 · 01/12/2024 08:50

SpiritAdder · 30/11/2024 21:23

I think she should stick with the A levels. If she wants to take a T level during a gap year, then do it then. I wouldn’t pull her out until September! She will forget so much of her education and besides it’s against the law to not be in some kind of education or training when under 18.

That’s a very good point, thank you. I’ll definitely keep her in until September.

In all honesty I don’t think she knows what she wants to do. Sadly she’s become quite lazy and reliant on her bloody phone too much. Maybe we take the time from now until July to visit lots of career fairs and find out exactly what she wants to do.

OP posts:

MarchingFrogs · 01/12/2024 08:51

SpiritAdder · 30/11/2024 21:24

They don’t do AS any more.

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AS exams still exist, but whether the college enters students is another matter.

Redburnett · 01/12/2024 08:52

It sounds as though she is not enjoying academic work. An apprenticeship might suit her better.

EffinMagicFairy · 01/12/2024 09:14

DS felt he picked the wrong set of A Levels, guided by his GS school and they weren’t offering the one he really wanted to do. He lasted a year, gained an AS, spent a year at college before deciding to retake A Levels including the subjed the really wanted to do, gained an A* and is now currently at Uni studying a subject related to his 2nd set of A levels.

sashh · 01/12/2024 10:13

SpiritAdder · 30/11/2024 21:23

I think she should stick with the A levels. If she wants to take a T level during a gap year, then do it then. I wouldn’t pull her out until September! She will forget so much of her education and besides it’s against the law to not be in some kind of education or training when under 18.

She can be in home ed and work.

LIZS · 01/12/2024 10:50

SpiritAdder · 30/11/2024 21:23

I think she should stick with the A levels. If she wants to take a T level during a gap year, then do it then. I wouldn’t pull her out until September! She will forget so much of her education and besides it’s against the law to not be in some kind of education or training when under 18.

T level may not be funded on its own especially if she has taken A levels, you need to check.

MarchingFrogs · 01/12/2024 12:10

sashh · 01/12/2024 10:13

She can be in home ed and work.

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One consideration which may or may not be relevant to the OP's situation, is that Child Benefit is only payable for EHE post-16 where it is a continuation, not something new, unless the child has an EHCP.
https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

Wrt the 'T level in a gap year' idea, are they actually set up for self study (and isn't there a large work experience component? Can you actually do them in a year normally?).

Child Benefit when your child turns 16

Child Benefit for 16 to 19 year olds - when payments stop or continue, approved education or training, extensions.

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

AelinAG · 02/12/2024 09:46

T Levels are a two year course and cannot be studied independently. So if that’s her preferred option, she’d need to start it in September. She should be sure it’s what she wants though, as there’s no ‘part’ of a T Level to claim - so if she does the same thing again she can’t get anything for it.

If she finishes her A Levels, she would then have a full complement of Level 3 qualifications and would not then be able to study a T Level as well